I just bought the Blade Runner Collector's Edition 4-DVD set (used for $10, yeah!!) So this has the "Final" cut (think it was 1997), the 1992 "Director's Cut," and the 1982 US and Intl. "theatrical cuts."

The theatrical release has the voice-over by Harrison Ford and the "happy" ending where Deckard and Rachael drive off into the sunset together. Well I watched the final and the theatrical back to back and I think the voice-overs added an intimacy and some helpful explanations that to me make the theatrical the best version. Harrison Ford hated the voiceovers and Ridley Scott preferred them left out. Any opinions on this?

The other stuff on this box was pretty interesting, especially the feature about Phillip K. Dick. I'm not much of a reader but it has me intrigued to seek out his books. Plus the extras cover just about every technical aspect you could want.

The 2007 Final Cut is consider by most Blade Runner aficionados to be the best, definitive version.

The story goes that Harrison Ford was so dead-set against including a voice-over that he intentionally read the narration in a flat, bland style, thinking this would help ensure that the voice-over was not used.

I personally don't hate the voice-over, but I think there's too much of it in the theatrical version.

Also, as for Philip K. Dick's writing, I'm a big fan of his work. Much of his writing was done hurriedly, often under the influence of stimulants. On a sentence-by-sentence level, his writing is nothing special. It's all about the mind-bending ideas, which explains why his work has translated so well to film.

In the first scene when Leon is getting VK'd by Holden, right before he shoots him, he says: "Let me tell you about my mother." Later, when Deckard is reviewing the tape in the police vehicle it is a different voiceover and Leon says "I'll tell you about my mother." Since you're only hearing the audio of this exchange, couldn't they have just used the same audio for the original scene??? I have read an explanation online where supposedly Deckard was just "reviewing the murder in his mind" and that's why the dialog is different (because that's the way he heard it, or something).

Also that scene where Zhora (replicant) crashes through the glass and it's obviously not Joanna Cassidy, plus that dumb wig they used that looks nothing like her real hair.

For all the money they spent on the meticulous details, you'd think the "continuity" department would have been a little more on the ball!

Also that scene where Zhora (replicant) crashes through the glass and it's obviously not Joanna Cassidy, plus that dumb wig they used that looks nothing like her real hair.

For all the money they spent on the meticulous details, you'd think the "continuity" department would have been a little more on the ball!

In the Director's Cut, that error was finally fixed by digitally replacing the stunt girl's head. Joanna Cassidy came in and filmed insert shots which were composited into the orignal scene. There's a fascinating segment in the 'Making Of' documentary that details the process used. Well worth checking out, and the finished scene looks great to the extent that if you had never seen the film, you'd never know Cassidy didn't film the original scene.

If you're a BR nut, as I am, you might find this book well worth the read:

I only own the Final Cut, which is exquisite, but I've been tempted to pick up the original theatrical cut, as I am such a Blade Runner addict, and curiosity will likely soon get the better of me. It is a constant desire to want more of this film. Blade Runner is such a strange cultural artifact: a franchise that consists of multiple versions of one movie. But not only that, for fans like me it is a movie than offers up something new with each watch, and each viewing is unique. It leads us to pursue more films that are similar to it, which is somewhat difficult...

Speaking of versioning, let's talk about the soundtrack. I only have the recently released "30th Anniversary Celebration" which is the film soundtrack meticulously re-created and re-recorded by Edgar Rothermich. And it's brilliant. And it stands apart from the film, but is a wonderful mirror to it at the same time, a microcosm. I originally was turned off from buying the soundtrack which Vangelis actually plays on, due to the voice clips from the film. The reason is this: Blade Runner is a movie that works so well in pure audio form; sometimes I throw it on as audio accompaniment to the day at it is absolutely absorbing on a purely sonic level, not only the music but the entire sound design. So I'd rather listen to the movie itself than the Vangelis record.

Am I missing out? I certainly wouldn't hesitate to get both versions of the soundtrack...